Golf club shaft



Feb. 4, 1958 E. J. REDMOND 2,822,175

GOLF CLUB SHAFT Filed Nov. 4, 1954 f/gij INVENTOR. 0W4R0 1 Rap/vamp GOLF CLUB SHAFT Edward J. Redmond, Escondido, Calif, assignor to Woolley Manufacturing Company, Escondido, Calif a corporation of Illinois Application November 4, 1954, Serial No. 466,772

3 Claims. (Cl. 27.3-80.4)

This invention relates generally to an implement shaft and more particularly is concerned with a golf club shaft formed of a tubular, metallic core with an outer sheath of resin-impregnated glass fiber.

While the problem with which this invention is concerned occurs in a substantial number of places, particubamboo. These types of golf club shafts had numerous faults. The hickory and split bamboo were susceptible to variation in physical characteristics in response to climatic changes. The steel shafts were heavy. All of them were bulky and had a tendency to twist at the moment of impact on the ball, which latter was a particularly undesirable feature.

Introduction of the tubular steel shaft eliminated these difficulties in that it permitted the player to deliver more power to the club head and was not as subject to variations in climatic conditions as were shafts made from split bamboo and hickory. However, with this type of shaft an extremely important playing feature was sacrificed, namely, the somewhat intangible, but nevertheless real and important, soft and smooth feel delivered to the players hands at the moment of impact by the club head on the ball.

Accordingly, it has long been desirable, and the object of an almost inconceivable amount of investigation, to provide a golf club shafthaving the desirable features of a steel tubular shaft and including also the desirable feel characteristic of the split bamboo or the hickory shafts.

It has been suggested that the advantageous results obtained with glass fibers in the fishing rod field might be applicable to the golf shaft field and might provide a shaft capable of meeting the above indicated requirements. Where this approach has been used, and maintaining conventional dimensions and appearance of the golf club, the resulting extreme whip of the shaft, which is desirable in a fishing rod, rendered the golf club unuseable. On the other hand, where the golf club was constructed with the proper resilience and whip, it became either too large or too heavy, or both, for convenient use. The appearance of a golf club is of great importance in determining its public acceptance and, accord ingly, unless the golf club is of the same appearance as conventional clubs, difliculty in acceptance would be experienced in attempting to place it on the public market.

' Similar problems have existed in connection with other items of sporting goods equipment, such as ski poles and polo inallets, as well as with respect to other articles not 2,822,175 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 necessarily in the sporting goods field, such as violin bows.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention has been to provide an implement shaft construction, as for a golf club, which will combine the soft and desirable feel characteristic of hickory or split bamboo shafts with the ruggedness, freedom from susceptibility to climatic changes, durability and resilience of both steel and glass fiber constructions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an implement shaft, as aforesaid, which will maintain substantially the same appearance as presently known shafts, particularly in the case of golf clubs.

A further object of the invention is to provide an implement shaft, as for a golf club, which will have all of the advantages of resin-impregnated glass fiber so far as its shaft is concerned, and which will have none of the disadvantages set forth above.

Additionally, an important object of the invention is to provide an implement handle, as for a golf club, the shaft of which is constructed in such a manner as to smoothly dampen shock occasioned when a ball is struck by the head whereby a minimum of energy is dissipated in sheath of resin-impregnated glass fiber fabric substantially bonded thereto. A further object of. the invention is to providea golf club having a construction such that no changes need be.

made in the machinery used to manufacture conventional clubs, but the product providing the above mentioned advantages as well as others which will be pointed out.

Preferred embodiments of the invention as applied to golf clubs have been described in the following specification and illustrated in the drawings, it being understood that a great many further variations are capable of being made without in any way departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is emphasized that the golf clubs of the illustrations and specification are merely examples of the constructions possible in accordance with the invention. g Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a golf club illustrating the invention, with portions shown in section to illustrate details. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through the shaft of the club along the line lI-II of Figure 1 and in the indicated direction.

Figure 3 is a similar view, but taken along the line IIIIII.

Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in perspective showing the manner in which the implement shaft is formed.

Figure 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing an alternate manner of forming the implement shaft.

The invention as applied to golf clubs resides in a construction which uses a shaft comprising a hollow steel core which is encased in a glass fabric material from end to end, and mounted in the usual grip and provided with the conventional head. In this manner, a lamina consisting of a thermo-setting plastic and bonded glass fiber is sandwiched between the hosel and shaft at one end, and between the grip and shaft'at the other end. Through proper choice of hollow steel cores, the size of the completed shaft is substantially the same as the conventional steel shaft and hence the conventional golf club manufacturing equipment and procedures can be used to complete the club.

The result of using a shaft which is thus fully covered from end to :end is to achieve a damping of shock and vibrationsinthe shaft, perhaps through some reaction of the fibers which is not fully understood but the theory of which is immaterial. Thus, vibrations which would normally require ato be dampened through absorption and dissipation in the steel shaft with consequent loss of energy are.quiekly andsmoothlydamped when the invention isused for golfclubs. This provides perfect response of the .club and results inlonger and smoother drives, while insulating the hands of the player from any shock and vibrations not damped by the shaft.

The reference character designates generally one form of golf club constructed in accordance with the invention, itsbei-ng immaterial whether the club is a-wood or an iron, although the advantages are emphasized when the ginvention is used in irons due to the increased likelihood of shock and vibrations caused by and transmitted from .the iron hosel to the shaft.

The .club 510 has an elongate shaft 11, a grip 12 and head 13. In accordance withthe inventionf the shaft 11 is formed of a hollow core 16 of tempered steel tubing. In substantially all respects the core 16 is made exactly like the shaft of the conventional club, except that its outer diameter is slightly less to compensate for the glass sheath which shortly will be described. The length of tlliebshaft 1 1 is the same as in the case of the usual golf c u The core 1-6 is encased in a sheath of resin-impregnated glass fiber fabric 18 which is bonded to the same from end to end, completely covering the same and substantially integral therewith. At the upper end, there is a plug 20 inserted in the open end of the shaft 11, and an ornamental end but-ton 21 over the plug 20. The grip 12 is formed about the club at any suitable manner and may be of-theusual rubber, cork, leather, etc. An ornamental collar 23 covers the junction between grip and the ,exposed portion of the shaft. 7

Note that the grip i2 is separated from the steel core 16 throughout its entire length by he layer .of glass fiber 18 which aids in eliminating the transmission of shock to the hands of the player. "The grip 1,2 .is thus formed around the upper end of the shaft 11 as though the shaft were of conventional construction. No special machinery or equ pment is needed to produce the ,club.

At its lower end, the shaft 11 is inserted into the usual hollow 25 formed in the shank .or hosel 2 6.of the head 13. and pinned in place by the simple rivet 27 in the conven tional manner. An ornamental sleeve 29 covers the joint between shaft and hose].

Through the c nstmCtiOD herein described, the results g l c u w l ha e subs anti l y t sam weight and feel as the prdinary ,clnb, except that by virtue of the entire length of the steel core being provided with the thermossetting plastic impregnated glass fiber sheath,

superior results are achieved in using the club. By aci tual tests, longer drives have been obtained using the ,club of the invention.

In one typical golf club using a shaft 36 inches long the core .was formed of a tapered tube of proper temper and resilience whose diameter varied smooth from .300" at the tip to .542 at the butt end. The glass fiber sheath, which was applied manually, varied in thickness approximately between ,022" and .029". The sheath of this particular club was formed in the manner generally indicated in Figure 4. A strip 3.0 of resin-impregnated fiber, preferably cut on a bias, was carefully wound about the metal core with the edges abutting to give a smooth outer surface. The glass fabric is pro-impregnated with a resin in any conventional manner and said resin may be of any desired type, preferably of therrno-setting nature. The curing of the resin may be accomplished in any conventional manner, either in air or in ovens and it may under some circumstances be done in a mold although this latter has been found neither necessary nor'particm larly convenient. The heating of the resin immediately prior to its setting causes the resin to 410w and become an integral part of the coating. When this occurs, the joints between adjacent strips are impossible to find, so that the entire sheath takes on an appearance of an mtegral coating. In fact, the physical eifect of curing is to produce this sheath as --a single member of thermosetting plastic with the fibers bonded to each other and to the core.

The materials and some .of the techniques involved in applying this glass-coating are :describedin considerabl detail in the prior art, and especially of interestare U. 8. Letters Patent 2,590,493, issued to Berberich, et al., March 25, -1952 and2,6'l4,058, issued to Francis, October 14, 1952.

In the particular example referred to the cloth was impregnated with the polyester resin and was .007" in thickness. From 3 to 5 layers provide .asatisfactory sheath.

Referring now to Figure '5, thereis shown a .dilierent manner of forming the glass fabric sheath around th metal tube, but one which has certain advantages, both in manufacturing convenience and in providing better operating characteristics. A sheet o'f p'lastic impregnated glass fabric :is cut in the somewhat half-trapezoidal iform appearing in Figure ,5 in which the edges .31 and ,32 .are substantially perpendicular ,to the edge Q3, and the portion 34 of the edge 35 is parallel .to the .Side '33 .and .the Porti n 1361is at an angle thereto. in this case, the steel core 16 is placed against and along the edge 33 and .the fabric rolled onto it by a continuous :motion. .In .this manner, a wide variety .of shapes .may be readily secured in the ,finishedshaft both .by modifying the shape of the steel core, particularly, in providing it .of iunifollm .diameter or with varying amounts of .taper, and also ,by varying the length of the portion 34 and the angle .of th portion 36 in order .to provide varying thicknesses -.of glass fabric onany given partofthesteel core.

With the fabric wrapped ,onto .thesteel .core, the resin ,is then rigidified by heating in any conventional manner. The shaft may then, if .desired, be further finished by grinding. olf rough edges ,of the plastic impregnated {fabric toprovide a smooth surface of the desired amount, if any, of taper. The shaft maybe further finished, if desired, by coating .with any vconvenient finishing material, such as a clear or colored lacquer.

Although reference is made to ,an even y tapered shaft, the invention has also been applied :toashafthaving socalled steps of straight sections ,of decreasing diameter, separated by short tapered sections. It has them :iound, however, that .the sheath tends to mask the .short tapered sections ,due .to flowing during curing. If ,cucedzinzmolds, conformation is easily achieved.

It is believed that the invention has been sully .set forth in such manner ,as to enable one skilled in the golf club art to manufacture clubs embodying the features and advantages of the invention.

1 .claim:

1. A golf .club, comprising: a stiff, resiliently flexible and twistable, {tubular steel core; a sheet of glass fabric having a first .edge extending substantially the full length of said core, second and third edges extending from, and transversely ,of,,said firstedge and a fourth edge extending w n said second and thirde ge and lyingat least in part at an angle with respect to said first .edge,.said sheet of glass fabric being wrapped around said core and encasing said core through the entirety of its length, the threads .of said fabric running both substantially longitudinally and circumferentially of said core; said fabric being impregnated with a rigidificd thermosetting resin bonded to said core and to said fabric to for-m a tapered h ft structure, said resin being capable of withstanding flexion an torsion developed by use of said golf clubs t ou breaking the bond of said resin to said fabric and said core; a. head having a Socket, the narrower end of said shaft structure being snugly received into said socket and rigidly secured to said head; a hand grip surrounding and rigidly secured to the wider end of said shaft structure; whereby shocks and vibrations imparted to said head will be materially dampened before they reach said hand grip, and the flexibility and twistability of said core will be materially reduced.

2. A golf club, comprising: an elongated, stiff and tubular metal core capable of substantial non-fatiguing flexion and torsion; at least one layer of glass fabric encasing said core throughout its length, the fibers of said fabric running both substantially longitudinally and circumferentially of said core, said fabric being impregnated with a rigidified resin securely bonded to said core and to said fabric, said core, said fabric and said resin defining the shaft of the golf club, said resin and said fabric cooperating to materially dampen the fiexion and torsion developed in said core by normal use thereof, and said resin being capable of maintaining said bond when extreme shocks and vibrations are imparted to said shaft; a club head having a hosel, one end portion of said shaft, including said fabric layer bonded thereto by said resin, being received in said hosel; rigid securing means extending transversely through said one end portion of said shaft, said securing means being rigidly secured to said club head and said shaft whereby shocks imparted to said club head are transmitted directly to said fabric and are dampened thereby; a hand grip surrounding and secured to the other end of said shaft.

3. A golf club, comprising: an elongated, stiff and tubular steel core having a substantially constant external diameter, said core being capable of substantial nonfatiguing flexion and torsion; a sheet of fiber glass fabric having a first edge extending substantially the full length of said core, second and third edges of unequal length extending from the opposite ends of said first edge substantially perpendicular thereto and a fourth edge extending between said second and third edges and lying at least in part at an acute angle to said first edge, said sheet of fiber glass fabric being wrapped around said core and encasing said core through the entirety of its length with said first edge extending longitudinally of said core, said fabric being impregnated with a rigidified resin securely bonded to said core and to said fabric, said core, said fiber glass fabric and resin forming together a shaft having a tapered external surface and said resin and said fabric cooperating to materially dampen the flexion and torsion developed in said core by normal use thereof, and said resin being capable of maintaining said bond when extreme shocks and vibrations are imparted to said shaft; a club head having a hosel, the narrower end of said core with the fiber glass fabric therearound being received in said hosel; means rigidly securing said club head to said core and said fabric; and a hand grip surrounding and se cured to the wider end of said core and the fiber glass therearound.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,232 Pryde et a1. Jan. 25, 1927 1,796,274 Bryant Mar. 10, 1931 2,573,361 Rodgers Oct. 30, 1951 2,594,838 Alexander et al. Apr. 29, 1952 2,614,058 Francis Oct. 14, 1952 2,643,700 Havens June 30, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 275,810 Great Britain 1927 627,255 Great Britain 1949 

